How to Build Businesses using the Power of Accumulation!

My wife and I used to live in a condo unit when we were newly married. At first, the condo was pretty spacious and needed some furniture so we got a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, then gifts would come from friends and family on special occasions and over time the stuff we had would pile up. I remember one time feeling claustrophobic already, I literally couldn’t breathe anymore and no matter how many times we would donate, or purge we would feel that the condo was magically getting smaller and smaller.

Now this is not because we keep buying stuff, we actually live (then and now) a very simple life. We do not buy anything we do not need and we donate and “purge” regularly, the fact is everyone will eventually have more “stuff” over time. This is what I call “the power of accumulation” and what I wanted to share with you today is how I use this power in businesses. And how you too can build something small first then slowly, over time, accumulate not just “stuff” but wealth.

Before I start, I’m sure you are thinking right now: “I can’t start a business yet, I don’t know anything about businesses”. So I want to let you know one powerful truth:

“Everyone starts at ZERO.”

Every successful business owner starts by not knowing much about business. Sure, some of them might have studied about starting a business whether in college, grad school, books and even through seminars. And I wholeheartedly believe in education, but let me tell you another powerful truth:

“Experience is the best teacher of all”.

Let me explain further. If I were to tell a 5 year old child to stay away from the stove because he/she might get burned, then show the child pictures of what a burn looks like and tell her that it is very, very painful then the child has been educated on how not to get burned right?

Now, the child will listen to you…for a while that is. But when you are not looking and the stove is on, chances are, the child will still go near the stove and accidentally burn her hand anyway. Because the child needs to fulfill her curiosity on what the word “burn” is and understand what you meant about how painful it can really be. Now, the moment she gets hurt and realizes that she never wants to get burned again, she has gained experience.

Likewise, the best way to learn about business is to experience doing business and find out first hand what it is like to go through the pains and gains of being in business.

So are you ready to gain experience and accumulate businesses? Alright then here’s the simple formula / plan that you must start doing now to start accumulating wealth through businesses: “S+R+A” = Power of Accumulation

S = “Start small”

There are many ways to start a business, but my method is the one that you can do right now. First off, know that no one can ever be sure if a business will succeed or not. So, common sense would dictate that you start small. If you have a small business already, good! If you don’t, then start one now by starting a sideline or racket. If you need some suggestions on creating a business without adding any costs, go to my blog at www.markso.wordpress.com and search this phrase: “Money Management Simplified Part 3”. In that article are two incredibly simple ways to start a small sideline business with Zero Costs. I would also suggest that you read the whole series (parts 1 to 3) to learn how to manage your money for businesses.

As my readers already know, when I start businesses I start them with Zero costs, to me that is the ultimate way of starting small.

R = “Remain Small”

When I start a small business, and it becomes a success, I do not hire a lot of people, I keep it small and manageable. But I do something “special” inside the business to make it even more profitable. I call it “Multiple Streaming”. It’s a technique that I teach in my 7 point formula seminar. What Multiple Streaming does is that it takes an ordinary sideline or racket and it “doubles” the income streams of that business every year. Now, if I increase my income stream per business and keep my staff small and manageable, the business becomes a lot more profitable even without becoming too big. Why do I like keeping my businesses small? Well, lots of reasons but the most important reason is that small businesses can move a lot faster than bigger businesses and the relationship between the customers, the staff and me are more direct and personal, no red tape.

A = “Accumulate”

Now, once my small business’ income stream stabilizes. I do it all over again with the same process, I start another small business, then I “Multiple Stream it” until profitable, then add another when ready. I simply keep adding small, profitable businesses over time that accumulate into true wealth. Imagine money coming in from multiple sources — when you wake up, when you are asleep, when you are eating, when you are on vacation. It’s an incredible feeling I assure you.

“The Power of Accumulation”

So going back to the introduction of this article when my wife and I started out in a small condominium, the fact is, you will always accumulate more “stuff” no matter what. So I learned to apply this incredible power into businesses and instead of the awful feeling of Claustrophobia, I achieve something else- “freedom from financial worry”. So now, you too can accumulate more wealth by just following the simple plan that I just outlined for you and of course gaining as much experience in the process. All the best! Good luck and God bless!

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37 Comments

This is correct. That is why my advocacy is teaching 6 year olds how to save in piggy banks. Im teaching them in their SUBCONCIOUS. This discussion goes beyong forex trading. What is important in life is knowing how to accumulate wealth so that if/when you fail somewhere along the way, you can easily rise and fight again (Este sentido comun no cumones; Common sense is NOT common!): How, pray, do you do this if you do not have savings to back you up? In the long run, the tortoise will beat the rabbit: That is the beauty of perseverance. That is why I prefer to take the slow boat to China.Sometimes people might laugh at you for being a slow poke, but always remember the power of PERSISTENCE. Eventually, water will wear away rock.

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge
30th president of US (1872 – 1933)

I have always wondered how it is to start a business without too much costs. I myself have no capital to start with that is too big a capital. And even though someone would want to give me capital that is my friends, I wouldn’t know how to take care of it because I still have no experience in business. I would like to start my own business that is sell something. Even sales sounds new to me. I really don’t know anymore how make money may it be through a job or through sales because I haven’t held a job for a long time or because I’m almost new to sales also. I was wondering how I could really start to earn money. But I guess, I have to try. Sales and business. Maybe I still don’t know something. Maybe I don’t know how other people do it – those who are in sales or in business. Maybe they just do it and for some reason they earn money. I have to do something. I should not count the costs too much because I am an accountant. I just gotta to do what needs to be done and also do what I want. I know I would be close to doing it coz I don’t stop searching. There are lots of sales ads out there, maybe I’d just answer one or some. And to do the things that I want like writing, maybe I would just have to do it. The reason that I don’t have anything is because all I did was to hand out resumes. And as expected, nothing comes to me. I don’t know what it is but there’s got to be something that must happen before I can be able to make money and do the things I wanted to do and be in sales and business. For others, it may be easy, but for me I have yet to discover it. How do others do it? I hope to find the answers.

i used to read articles of mark so, and its really keep me more excited in my business where im into right now because of the strategy i applied in business. Im a professional networker and also into profession of accountancy. If you really love what your doin the rest will follow.,gain more friends, travels and financial freedom. It just started when i notice that my earnings is not enough to meet the demands of my kids, so i need to find solution for that. There’s a need in me that i need to FILL-in. I believe that we all have UNLIMITED Potentials and its ON us on how to do it.

I agree with you Mark when you said that everyone starts at zero and experience is the best teacher of all. I have met people who consider themselves guru in money matters and gives free advices even if they do not have the experience and knowledge to back it up. When I decided to go into forex, some people advised against it saying its too risky, ill lose money, stocks are better and so forth even if they don’t even have the basic background how forex trading really works. Now that I’m into forex I have learned that gaining experience can sometimes be painful since you will most likely learn from your mistakes and you really have to rise from your failure and try again. I still consider myself work in progress in regards of my forex trading however I would prefer it to be this way than to just say forex is risky and you will lose money and pretend that I know what I am talking about.

Well said Aileen, I’m glad you are gaining experience by doing what you believe to be right and not just listening to the comments of people with no experience. That is the way a successful person thinks. Keep it up!

Thanks for writing in King! Yes Martin is someone like me who truly believes in experience as he lives by this code and has become very successful at it. He is a student of mine in Forex but a successful investor and businessman in his own right.. Keep learning, keep sharing!

Hi sir mark, you’re the man! First, I want to congratulate you in your talk at money summit and wealth expo. It was really a blast. A lot of the participants are really impressed and inspired by your talk. Some of them even came up to me and asked for your forex classes.

Yes, experience is really the best teacher in any field in life. The way we learn from school or from books cannot be compared from the leanings that experience can give to us. Another thing is never to give up. In everything we do and whatever life may throw at us always remember that there is hope behind it and it can make us a better person in the future. Again thanks for sharing this with us. Truly Inspiring. God Bless

Lol! Many thanks Justin! Seeing you at the Money Summit was super cool AND speaks volumes about the quality of the audience. I had an awesome time then and even now as most of them have enrolled in my full forex course and as a result am fully booked all the way til August!

I’m glad this article reached you! As my lessons trancend just forex trading 🙂 more articles to come and here’s wishing more success and experience for you Justin!

For those who wants to see my awesome boss ( Mr. Mark So ) and if anyone likes to know more about Forex Trading we have a Forex Orientation Scheduled on August 7 (2pm-4pm) at 1503a West Tower PSE Ortigas.

hello sir! it’s been awhile since i attended your class (7 point) 2 years ago. 😀 since then, i started a small retail business up till now. so far so good. 😀 and your blogs help me a lot. 😀 thanks a lot for keeping in touch. 😀 i am thinking of taking another class from u but i am still managing my schedule. as u can see, i still have my day job, taking my doctoral degree at night and managing my business. 😀 i am looking forward for more blogs! more power and God bless u always 😀 thank you 😀

Hi Bea! So nice to hear from you, I’m very glad your business is doing well. Yes, you must come back and learn more from me soon 🙂 more, wealth, happiness and success to come. Watch out for my next article at Manila Bulletin this Sunday July 18 titled:” how I learned to manage people”. I hope you grab a copy soon! It will be in blog form in the next week or so as well.

Yes that is true it is better to start a small business especially for cases like mine
who is also working in a private company.I got inspired by your blog I want to know more about small business hopefully I can find something I could venture in within this year.

Sir,
In all endeavor to be a true successful people, The training, experience and education, are three essential components to gain the minimum to reach another success…
All the best to you Sir Mark !
SAMUEL R. LANOZAsamuel.lanoza@gmail.com

Its been a while since i’ve attended your seminar and it’s nice to read your article especially now that my friends and i are planning a small business. It is a very nice article and this will help alot. Last year is not that good for me. We’re flooded by ondoy, my nephew had an accident, my first business failed and my mother died. It was very bad year for me. But i am not losing hope. As of now my and my friends are thinking of business ideas. We are planning to put up a business, but it is very hard to start so as of now we are planning to franchise a food cart business.

Sorry to hear about your loss Jason. Life will put you through tough times most of the time but if you hang tough and persevere, it will all work out. Thanks for writing in and I wish you success this year and in the years to come!

another enlightening article. this made me realize that over the years i’ve also accumulated a lot of stuff and learnings. all of which can be redirected to an effort to start a business with almost zero capital.

i’ve been getting updates from businessmaker academy in my email and honestly, i can’t remember when i signed up or got the updates. since i was into putting up a business, i stuck to getting updates.

i read this article now and it really makes sense i would want to know more of your seminars but i am here in mindanao. hopefully, i can get to read parts of your seminars soon here in your blog. and i am hoping that soon, i can get to attend one of your seminars.

Nice article. I like your concept. Making a business in a bite-size and more manegeable scale. How I wish I can arrange one day to go for your seminar. By the way I’m an OFW and currently working here in UAE. Being separated from my pecious family is quite an ordeal as I work here in abroad. I really need to do something to have a reasonable and concrete source of cashflow in the Philippines to end my abroad job.

As I started receiving email from your group, a spark of idea of doing a business in food catering or a small restaurant have been ringing in my mind since then. As I was saying, I’m thingking of ending my career as an OFW. I want do this food business and be with my family. As an OFW, my wife & I managed to save some significant amount of money and we’re really want to do the venture the moment my contract here in UAE expires (that’s almost 2 years from now).

I know that I need to invest first in acquiring relevant informations how to make this “small business” sustainable and make it progressive as the operations goes on. I do hope that your group can enlighten me further about this endeavor. I’ll be having my next annual vacation in May 2011. I really want to have a seat in your 7-Point Formula Course/Seminar.

Hi Roy, I’m glad to hear from you. I can only imagine how much you miss your family. Your hard work and sacrifice will pay off for sure, you just have to keep at it. If you have not yet done so, I suggest you read my other article called how to make money with zero capital as that I believe will enlighten you even further. Here’s the link for your convenience: http://markso.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/how-to-make-extra-money-with-zero-capital/ I say this because I believe that the money that you and your wife has saved up for can be “protected” more from business failures if you understand my point of view in that article. All the best!

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Praise for Mark and Jhoanna’s Articles

"Hi sir mark!
i want you to know that I'm an avid reader of your articles in the manila bulletin.. it helped me quite a lot in understanding on how to do business. i always thought that i will never be a good businesswoman because well, I'm not like my co-workers who will always come early and leave late at work. For them I don't value my work because I am not "workaholic". I will never doubt again to myself if i can do business or not. I will not have to work hard. I just have to work smart. :)"

-Grace Saunar

"i really enjoy reading this, your articles have helped me a lot...since i am the head of the family and my employer is struggling... this will help me because i am in need of tips on how to manage my money and start business with zero capital.
thank you for sharing...."

-Ahyena Ang

"hi mark... this is real-life marketing principle..the "must haves" are practical...
i have attended one of the seminars you offer, and as i read your article i was trying to compare it with the kind of approach (teachings and learnings) of the seminar i attended, indeed yours is believable because you CARE for your students...errr, clients as well..thanks for educating people including me and i hope to avail some more of your seminars....ciao!"

-Vince "VIC" Sapinit

"I can truly relate mark, save that i am just about to make the uphill climb towards freedom from debt. i guess NOW is right about the time to do it. super thanks for this awesome blog, keep it up! =)"

Precious David

"Hi sir Mark,
Thank you for this article, I am an account executive in a printing company and hoping that someday I'll be having my own printing co. too. With your advise I'm sure that It will be possible for me to reach that goal.

MABUHAY ka sir Mark!"

-Kristopher Mike

"Thank you for the inspiration!!! More power to you in all your projects sir!"

More Praise Still for Mark and Jhoanna’s Articles

"Thanks for your insights Mr. Mark. I had been a Juan Masipag for long time now, and started to apply the opposite. I hope I could apply both when I finally go home from my being an OFW to a business I am planning. Looking forward to meeting you in Manila soon. By the way, belated happy b-day to your better half."

-Rolando Go

"I would love to hear and receive more from you. because i know that i am earning more than anyboby that i know in my field, but all the earnings that i have, is sadly gone, i can relate to this article and willing to take the chance of how will money will run after me."

-Jonjon Pingol

"i liked the part where you advised not to live just below your means but analyze your expenses and doing substitution instead of Good expenses.... useful first step in meeting one's financial goals....thanks !"